RSS FeedDowntown Still Dropping (Like It’s Hot?)
Instead of blabbing on about $/square foot (yawn) or trying to calculate a discounted cash flow analysis to determine a condo’s worth (kinda’ geeky) or defining owner equivalent rent (look it up if your Nyquil isn’t working properly), we’re going right to the fun part…real estate anecdotes that make you go “hmm..” Continue Reading >>
Amplified Noise Legislation Update (Bad News) *Updated*
The Quest for Quiet blog couldn’t have said it better: Gutted Noise Bill Passed Council. Basically, the legislation allows for sound up to 80 decibels when measured from inside the home – in residential-zoned areas.
So, not only is [mostly commercially-zoned] Penn Quarter excluded from this legislation, but the sound is measured from inside of the home. The best quote from the council discussion was when Tommy Wells (Ward 6) said that none of this legislation helps the 10,000 people living downtown.
It was very easy to tell that Tommy Wells, Mary Cheh, David Catania, and Carol Schwartz were on the side of the DC citizens while the rest of the council members (including Jack Evans) folded to labor union pressure.
Update: We missed an even better quote, but the WaPo has it in their write-up: “Penn Quarter, I hope you’re listening. You’re being written off,” Cheh said of the downtown neighborhood.
Take Five Guy
The lyrics to Take Five are not often sung, but they seem appropriate for our neighbor we call Take Five Guy. When the weather gets warmer he’s out in PQ serenading all around with his version of Take Five. Sure he misses a few notes, but it’s a tough song and we enjoy his rendition all the same.
Or perhaps very young kids are near and his sax lets out the theme to Sesame Street. Young adults? That’s when he’ll answer with the theme to Sanford & Son.
On the roofs of more than a few downtown buildings I’ve heard his music waft its way up the 12 stories. As PQResident pointed out in the comments section of his moving post about the valet learning English, we get to know the people in our neighborhood, sometimes without knowing their names.
Bank of Georgetown Rowing Into PQ (822 E St NW)
Another PQ retail vacancy is going the way of the dodo bird and being filled with an enterprise. This time it’s a community bank, the Bank of Georgetown, that will be establishing a toehold in the heart of the PQ taking up residence at 822 E Street, NW. The retail space on the ground floor of the Lexington II where the restaurant Ginger Cove used to operate will turn into the fifth Bank of Georgetown branch in the metro area. This space has been vacant for over a year now so it’s nice to see a lease signed and a vacant spot taken; build out is now underway by KANE Construction.
As a community bank, The Bank of Georgetown is a home grown, privately held, small/medium business that reported just over $95M on deposit in 2007 which is considerably smaller than a financial behemoth like the Bank of America or even a metro regional like Chevy Chase Bank.
Thanks go out to two anonymous PQ Living tipsters (and readers) on this one. Send any news or tips to pqliving [at] gmail.com.